Louise O'Reilly (Dublin Fingal West, Sinn Fein)
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I propose the petitions considered by the committee at this and previous meetings be published and that replies from Departments and other bodies also be published. Is that agreed? Agreed.

We have five petitions in front of us this evening. The first requests the amendment of learner driver accompaniment requirements and was submitted by Ms Samantha Smith. She refers to the introduction of a conditional solo driving permit for learner drivers who meet specific criteria, such as the completion of all 12 essential driver training lessons; having held a permit for a minimum period, potentially of six months; and receiving formal competency sign-off from a registered driving instructor. That would be a departure from the current system. We have correspondence from the petitioner in response to the Department of Transport. I propose the committee forward the correspondence from the petitioner to the Department of Transport and ask for it to comment within two weeks. Is that agreed? Agreed.

The next petition is current and topical. It is entitled "Make Social Media Illegal for Under 16s" and was submitted by Ms Kelly Black who is a secondary school teacher and parent. She is, as many parents are, concerned about the impact of social media access on young people. This is a current issue. It also replicates another petition we received. Therefore, I propose the response from An Coimisiún na Meán be forwarded to the petitioner for us to hear her comment within two weeks; the two petitions, P00027/26 and P00028/26, be merged and both be referred to as P00027/26; and that the correspondence from An Coimisiún na Meán be published. Is that agreed? Agreed.

We do not need to hear the third item as the petitions were merged.

The fourth petition is entitled "Enact the Control of Economic Activity (Occupied Territories) Bill 2018” and was submitted by Ms Dee O'Shea. As I have received quite a lot of correspondence on this, I know this petition has been signed by a large number of people. We wrote to the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to seek a response, which we have. I propose the committee publish that response and forward it to the petitioner for her comment within 14 days. Do member have any views on that? Is it agreed? Agreed.

The final petition is entitled "A Good Friday for the Kurdish 'Troubles'" and was submitted by Mr. Florian Scheibein. I hope I have not mispronounced that. On the occasion of the 2026 Good Friday, the petitioners call on the Government of Ireland, in the context of the EU Presidency, to support an appropriate EU level preparedness to contribute constructively to renewed dialogue aimed at peaceful and democratic resolution of long-standing tensions with Türkiye. This is a complicated matter. It involves history and geopolitics. Correspondence was sent to the Minister for foreign affairs. I propose the committee publish the response it received from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and that correspondence be forwarded to the petitioner for his comment within 14 days. Is that agreed? Agreed.

That concludes our consideration of public petitions this evening. I invite members of the public to submit petitions via our online portal at petitions.oireachtas.ie. A petition may be addressed to the Houses of the Oireachtas on a matter of general public concern or interest or an issue of public policy.

Do members wish to raise any issues? No.

As there are no issues, the committee is adjourned until 11 a.m. on Tuesday, 7 July 2026, when we will meet in private and public session. I thank everyone for their attendance this evening.